EASAC – School of Performing Arts Acrobatics and Circus Arts
Circus school in the Basque Country offering courses for children, teenagers and adults, workshops, masterclasses and pre-professional training, with a specialization in acrobatics, Beijing Opera technique, partner acrobatics, hand-to-hand acrobatics and juggling.
64700 Hendaye
Presentation of EASAC
EASAC – École d'Acrobatics du Spectacle – is a circus arts school located in the Basque Country , with activities offered in Hendaye, Biarritz, and Anglet. Founded in 2007 by acrobat and circus teacher Alexandre Rodoreda , it offers training ranging from introductory circus arts classes for children to pre-professional training for young artists preparing for entrance exams to higher education institutions.
Technical approach
Acrobatics is one of the school's main specialties. Its teaching is based in particular on the technique of Peking Opera , adapted to contemporary circus practice and enriched by various influences from the performing arts. This approach pays particular attention to body positioning and support, breathing in movement , dynamics , flexibility , balance , and the fluidity of sequences .
Cross-cutting issues and extensions
The school considers acrobatics a fundamental discipline that prepares the body for many other circus and artistic practices. Its teaching can thus be extended into acrobatic lifts, hand-to-hand acrobatics and banquine, but also into parkour, freerunning, martial arts, dance or other forms of stage movement.
- Acrobatic lifts, hand-to-hand acrobatics, banquine
- Parkour and freerunning
- Martial arts and capoeira
- Dance and physical theatre
- Aerial discipline, Chinese pole, trampoline
Children's classes
The children's classes are based on a progressive and multidisciplinary introduction to circus arts. Sessions are organized around workshops that allow children to explore juggling, object balancing, partner acrobatics, and other skills. Children can work individually, in pairs, or in groups, depending on the exercises.
- Juggling
- Balances on objects
- Doors
- Acrobatics
The teaching approach aims to help each child progress while developing collaboration and autonomy. Juggling and balancing exercises, in particular, help develop proprioception , agility , reflexes , coordination , and a sense of rhythm , while acrobatics are introduced gradually throughout the year.
- Proprioception
- Agility
- Reflexes
- Coordination
- Sense of rhythm
The sessions may include a warm-up and stretching exercises, followed by pedagogical exercises preparing students for the different figures. Imitative games, mirror work, partner exercises, and technical workshops allow students to progressively develop the necessary skills for performing the movements.
Teenagers and adults
For teenagers and adults, EASAC offers instruction more specifically focused on acrobatics and balance. Students work on the fundamentals such as rolls, cartwheels and roundoffs before progressing to more technical elements: flip-flaps, somersaults, planks, series of figures and various inversions.
- Rolls, cartwheels, roundoffs
- Flip-flap, somersault, plank
- Figures in series, reversals
The training may also incorporate trampoline, banquine, hand-to-hand acrobatics, poles, acrobatic lifts, and various forms of balance. Physical conditioning, muscle strengthening, core work, and flexibility exercises complement the technical work in order to progressively build the physical qualities necessary for the sport.
- Trampoline, banquine, hand-to-hand, columns
- Acrobatic lifts
- Physical preparation, muscle strengthening, core training, flexibility
Pre-vocational training
EASAC also distinguishes itself through its pre-professional program for young people wishing to pursue a career in circus arts.
- Preparation for selection processes for French and European higher education institutions (CNAC, Académie Fratellini, ENACR, ESACTO'Lido, ESAC, DOCH, Codarts)
- Target audience: young people aged 15 to 20
- Association of intensive physical training, technical improvement and artistic development
- A significant volume of coursework and physical training, supplemented by internships and disciplinary meetings.
- Transdisciplinary workshops, masterclasses, research and rehearsal residencies, performances according to level
The program aims to prepare not only for the physical demands of competitions, but also for the development of a personal artistic profile.
This preparation has notably enabled students from the school to take entrance exams for higher education institutions. Arno , a student in the pre-professional program between 2023 and 2025, was thus admitted to ENACR in 2025 after completing technical and artistic training at EASAC to prepare for the selection process.
The teaching staff
The instruction is provided by Alexandre Rodoreda , founder of EASAC. A professional acrobat, he holds a State Diploma for Circus Teachers and a DMA in Circus Arts . He himself trained at the Annie Fratellini National Circus School in Paris, starting in 1989.
- Training: Annie Fratellini National Circus School (from 1989)
- Qualifications: State Diploma for Circus Teachers, DMA in Circus Arts
- Experience: Teaching at the Chinese School of Performing Arts (Paris, 2000–2005) alongside professors from the Beijing Circus and Opera
- Based in Biarritz since 2006, EASAC was founded in 2007
Courses, interventions and festival
In addition to the annual courses, the school organizes workshops during the holidays. Children are grouped according to their age and skill level to discover or further develop different disciplines. More specialized workshops and masterclasses are also offered focusing on acrobatics, partner acrobatics, hand-to-hand acrobatics, and other techniques.
- Holiday camps for different levels and ages
- Masterclasses and specialized workshops (acrobatics, lifts, hand-to-hand, etc.)
- Interventions with the national education system, local authorities and organizations within the territory
The school maintains a close connection with contemporary creation through the MUGA GABE Festival, a cross-border contemporary circus festival organized in Urrugne in partnership with the municipality. Alexandre Rodoreda is the driving force behind this event, which pre-professional students can participate in as part of their training. The festival allows young artists to meet companies and professionals, participate in workshops, and discover contemporary creations. It thus serves as an extension of the educational work carried out throughout the year and puts students in direct contact with the professional artistic world.
Positioning and identity
Through the diversity of its teaching levels, EASAC occupies a unique position among circus schools in the Basque Country. It welcomes children discovering juggling, balancing, and acrobatics, as well as teenagers and adults wishing to deepen their practice, and young artists preparing for entry into higher education. Its identity is based on demanding technical training in acrobatics, enriched by the techniques of Peking Opera and a transdisciplinary approach to movement. From recreational practice to professional training, the school seeks to combine physical mastery , technical progression , creativity , and stage experience .
